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Dr. Frankenstein has a monster; Danhausen has "The Demon." On WWE SmackDown, Gunther discovered a new nightmare after a possessed Finn Balor ascended a ladder before driving his boots through Gunther's chest and a table.
Danhausen's "Very Nice, Very Evil" Halloween special started with a fizzle and ended with a major pop after he resurrected "The Demon." The arrival of Balor's alter ego implies that a memorable showdown with Gunther is on the way.
SmackDown's Halloween show offered many treats, including one for Trick Williams, who was one of three challengers granted title matches on Friday. Although he failed to take Sami Zayn's undisputed WWE championship and his match against Roman Reigns at Crown Jewel, Williams looked every bit like a superstar against SmackDown's top champion.
CBS Sports was with you all night with recaps and highlights of all the action from Charleston Coliseum in Charleston, West Virginia
Danhausen resurrects 'The Demon' Finn Balor
Danhausen spent months building an experiment for Friday's Halloween special. Unfortunately, his dreams were swiftly crushed. Before he could unveil it, Gunther emerged from the shadows and laid siege. The beatdown was delayed after Danhausen's large cloning machine conjured the MiniHausens. They offered some resistance, but Gunther easily swatted them away. The former world heavyweight champion snatched Danhausen's neck in a sleeper hold. It seemed that Danhausen's "Very Good, Very Evil" Halloween would end very quick, very badly. That is until Danhausen, barely clinging to consciousness, cursed Gunther. Red lights flooded the arena as a heartbeat thump sounded through the arena. It signaled "The Demon" Balor's arrival.
Instead of emerging from the entranceway, Balor, concealed under a plain sheet, sat up from a stretcher. "The Demon," who had been disguised as a set piece, turned out to be Danhausen's real experiment. The unveiling received a huge reaction from the live audience. Balor, sporting a striking new look with red contact lenses, rushed Gunther. The brawl ended with Balor climbing a ladder and driving Gunther through the commentary table with a Coup de Grace.
Undisputed WWE Championship -- Sami Zayn (c) def. Trick Williams via pinfall after striking Williams with a low blow and a title shot to the head in their no-disqualification match. Friday's main event was initially cut short after Williams landed an early Book End. Johnny Gargano pulled referee Charles Robinson out from under the ring, handing Williams a DQ win but not the title. SmackDown general manager Nick Aldis wouldn't stand for it. He banned Gargano, Candice LeRae, and Lil Yachty from ringside before restarting the match with an added stipulation.
Williams had everyone convinced for about three seconds that he'd walk out of SmackDown and into Crown Jewel as the undisputed WWE champion. He struck Zayn with his "Trick Stick" the moment the match restarted for a convincing near-fall. It was one-way traffic for most of the match as the challenger repeatedly landed his signature moves. Zayn showed the survival instincts needed to contend with Reigns next week before stopping Williams with a groin strike and a title belt to the dome.
WWE executed "The Demon" reveal perfectly. The writers misdirected viewers with a resurrection of the Gingerbread Man backstage and the disappointing MiniHausen reveal, but the tone completely shifted when "The Demon" emerged. This was far more impactful than Balor's last portrayal of "The Demon" against Dominik Mysterio at WrestleMania 42. WWE had advertised Balor's alter ego in advance, which completely gutted the experience. Balor avoided Halloween-ifying "The Demon" thanks to his commanding presence and a beautifully updated presentation. The red contacts, blood splatter down his right arm, and even "The Demon"-Danhausen on his back looked great. It seems we're about to reach our final destination in the Gunther-Balor saga. Reintroducing "The Demon" was a great call, letting Balor take a major win while protecting Gunther if he lost.
The main event nearly got two thumbs down after Zayn was disqualified; however, the second half delivered. The initial nearfall fooled the audience; Williams looked incredibly strong, and Zayn showed his durability ahead of next week's meeting with Reigns. Grade: A-
What else happened on WWE SmackDown?
- Cody Rhodes delivered a monologue promoting his Last Man Standing match with Randy Orton at Crown Jewel. The story continued to revolve around Orton's punt and Rhodes' willingness to use the move against its innovator.
- WWE Women's Championship -- Chelsea Green (c) def. Nikki Bella via pinfall to retain the title after rolling up Bella. Post-match, Tiffany Stratton and Iyo Sky fended off an attack from Judgment Day. Stratton tried to cash in her Money in the Bank briefcase on Morgan, but Judgment Day stopped her. The match was nothing to write home about. The post-match segment was better. Stratton is a wildcard despite being aligned with one champion against the other. Green and Morgan are great foils for each other ahead of Crown Jewel.
- AAA Cruiserweight Championship -- Rey Fenix (c) def. Ricky Saints via pinfall after hitting a Mexican Muscle Buster to retain the title. The match was quite good, and Fenix's title defenses continue to be weekly highlights.
- Jade Cargill def. Tatum Paxley via pinfall after hitting Jaded. Both women put forth a good effort. Paxley's quickness complemented Cargill's power well. Cargill scored a picture-perfect superkick that Paxley ate well. Cargill's showmanship was also on display after catching a kiss that Alexa Bliss blew and stomping on it.
